Abdominal supporting belt



Feb. 26, 1952 F. s. ERICSSON 2,587,450

ABDOMINAL SUPPORTING BELT- Filed Sept. 1, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET l F/gJ. Fig.2.

Francis- 5 Ericsson INVENTOR.

Feb, 26, 1952 F s. ERlcssoN ABDOMINAL SUPPORTING BELT 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed Sept. 1. 1949 m xk M m m m Patented Feb. 26, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ABDOMINAL SUPPORTING BELT Francis S. Ericsson, Warren, Pa. Application September 1, 1949, Serial No. 113,505

1 Claim.

This invention relates to abdominal supporting belts or girdles of the prenatal type or maternity type which are characterized by an abdominal band and a back band adjustably, connected at their ends to compensate for in-' crease in the size of the abdomen during gestation.

The primary object of the present invention is to providemeans whereby the abdominal band may be adjustably tilted forwardly without separating the end edges of the bands, by adjusting the ends of the abdominal band in a rearwardly curved arcuate path relative to the back band, thereby comfortably and effectively supporting the enlarged abdomen from below and relieving pelvic pressure as gestation advances.

A preferred form of the invention is shown by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the invention as it appears in use during the early stage of gestation;

Figures 2 and 3 are similar views showing the abdominal band in different positions of adjustment as required during advanced stages of gestation; and,

Figure 4 is an outside plan view of the device in open condition.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the present belt or girdle comprises an abdominal band 5 and a back band 6, constructed of a suitable material and adjustably connected at their ends by suitable means such as lacings 1 and 8, the band 5 being composed of a main section 9 and an end section l separably connected by a slide fastener l l, or the like. The bands preferably have suitable light stiffeners I2 at their ends, and hose supporters l3 are also attached to and depend from the ends of said bands.

In accordance with the present invention, the bands and 6 respectively have rearwardly curved arcuate convex and arcuate concave meeting end edges l4 and I5, and the band 5 is tiltably adjustable forwardly relative to band 6 by adjusting the ends of band 5 in an arcuate path coincident with said arcuate edges. As shown, the bands have arcuate rows of eyelets 20 along the edges 14 and IE to receive the lacings I and 8 so as to connect the ends of the bands in different relatively adjusted positions. Thus, the abdomen will be comfortably and effectively supported from below so as to relieve pelvic pressure as gestation advances. The ends of the 2 bands are preferably enlarged downwardly as shown at 2| so that the edges l4 and I5 are relatively long and the lacings form a strong and efiective connecting means for the bands which extend down over the hips.'

From the foregoing description, the nature and advantages of invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Modifications of the invention, and changes in details of construction thereof, to include mechanical equivalents of such details, are contemplated within the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, claimed as new is:

In an abdominal supporting belt of the prenatal type, the combination of an abdominal band comprising a main section having a substantially straight edge at one end and includwhat is ing a crescent shaped portion at its other end,

s aid crescent shaped portion extending substantially below the lower. edge of the main section and having a convex arcuate outer edge, a backband including a relatively narrow intermediate portion and relatively wide end portions having concave arcuate side edges, one of said concave side edges being complemental and longitudinally shiftable relative to the convex end edge of said crescent shaped portion, a segment shaped band section having a convex arcuate side edge complemental and longitudinally shiftable relative to the other concave side edge of the backhand, the other side of said segment shaped section being provided with a straight upper edge portion, means for separably connecting the last mentioned straight edge portion to the straight edge of said abdominal band, and additional means for separably and adjustably connecting together the respective convex and concave edges whereby to permit the stated longitudinal shifting thereof to each other.

FRANCIS S. ERICSSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,620,264 Lockwood Mar. 8, 1927 2,250,807 Lunney July 29, 1941 2,344,374 Stephens Mar. 14, 1944 2,345,760 Lunney Apr. 4, 1944 

